How To Create A Custom Self-Care Plan For The Holidays
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Do you hear what I hear? Sleigh bells jingling and cash registers ringing. The hustle and bustle of the holiday season are here! And so are all of the ups, downs, and all around of emotions and energy!
It is so easy to get caught up in the hype of the holidays. It is the most magical season of all, right? Family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors are eager to get together, exchange gifts and meals. Late nights are spent out and about as you finish up last-minute shopping or go to a holiday party.
Amidst the whirlwind of the holidays, how do YOU take time for yourself? What do you to for self-care to keep yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy?
Before we chat about creating a custom self-care plan for the holidays, I want you to give yourself a big hug. Go ahead-you deserve it! Just by reading this post, you are taking steps towards better self-care and that is huge, my friend. You will be so glad that you are working towards better stress management and self-awareness during the holidays.
Create Your Own Custom Self-Care Plan For The Holidays
Ideally, you will find this post prior to the start to the holiday season and will be ready with a custom self-care plan. No worries, however, if you find this with only a few days to spare in the season. It is never too late to increase self-awareness and devise a self-care plan!
To get started, find a quiet spot (or at least one where you will have few interruptions). Shut your eyes. Breathe in and out. Take a moment and think about the holidays. Note your thoughts and feelings-positive and negative.
Next, print out this free printable Holiday Self-Care Plan. You will use this worksheet to personalize how you will practice self-care during the holidays. I can give you all the tips in the world but you know yourself best. The best self-care plan is the one that you will actually do!
This free printable worksheet contains 4 separate areas: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. Different activities and situations cause stress for individuals in different ways. Consider your personality and what you will need to refresh yourself this holiday season.
To get better insight into your personality type, take this free personality test based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator at 16personalities.com. You will receive a 4-letter combination that describes your personality type based on:
- introversion(I) or extroversion (E)
- sensing (S) or thinking (T)
- thinking (T) or feeling (F)
- judging (J) or perceiving (P)
There is no good or bad personality type. You are who you are! When you read your results, read the descriptions and see if they fit you. Share your results in the comments! (I'm an INFP.)
I bring up personality types because I think it is very helpful to be aware of who you are and what you are comfortable with. Altogether too often, I hear friends and family stressing over the holidays because they are trying to please or meet the expectations of others.
Too many parties or shopping in crowds may make an introvert want to crawl up into a ball and not emerge until Groundhog's Day. Some extroverts may feel overwhelmed with invites and feel pressure to do it all.
No matter what your personality type is, you can benefit from creating and using custom self-care plan for the holidays. You will be able to better enjoy the holidays and be more pleasant to be around! Don't look at it as being selfish-consider your self-care plan as a way to bless those around you because you will be feeling healthier and happier!
How To Use Your Custom Self-Care Plan For The Holidays
In each of the four areas of self-care, jot down your current concerns or issues for that part of your life. For example, perhaps you physically feel bloated and sluggish from too many parties with yummy snacks and treats? Or maybe you are emotionally drained from dealing with difficult family members?
After you write down your concerns, I want you to pick one area and shut your eyes again. Envision a healthy way that you can change this issue. What in this situation is in your control?
When you have a solid idea of what you can do, jot down what the positive, healthy outcome will look like to you.
Now, I want you to take your imaginary magnifying glass and zoom in on the outcome. As you are imagining your positive self-care victory, think of at least two steps that you took to get to your happy place. I want these steps to be as specific as possible. Turn "I exercised" into "I set my alarm an hour earlier each day, put on my sneakers, and went for a brisk walk for at least thirty minutes every morning." Getting down to the nitty-gritty with your self-care plan will make you much more likely to follow through with it!
How can you make an effective self-care plan? Add these components:
- Quantify: Give a step or action a number. For example, write down a specific number of seconds that you will inhale and then exhale to count as a full, relaxing breath. (I recommend 2-3 second inhales for every 5-6 second exhales.)
- Specify: It's all in the details! It can help to ask yourself questions like who, what, when, where, why, and how.
- Focus On One At A Time: Don't overwhelm yourself by trying to conquer all your concerns or issues at once. Choose the one that you think you will have the most success with and go for it. You will be much more likely to continue to work on your holiday self-care plan when you have a sense of accomplishment.
- Be Realistic: Sure, who wouldn't love an entire day at the spa with a massage? If there's not room in your budget or schedule for such bliss, search for a more affordable and quick solution. Maybe a quick trip to the nail salon for a mani-pedi? Or a luxurious bubble bath?
- K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Sweetie): Make your plans as practical and simple as possible.
To get your free printable instant download Holiday Self-Care Plan, click on the image below.
What area will you first work on for your self-care plan for the holidays?
Here are some more awesome resources to help with your self-care plan for the holidays and any time of year:
24 Fee Affirmations for Homeschool Moms
How to Use Affirmations for Greater Homeschool Joy
How to Conquer Joy Suckers in Your Homeschool Life
Why Your Mindset is Important in Your Homeschool
How to Stay Positive in Your Homeschool
So helpful! I am quite an introvert and having parties planned for several different nights in a week does make me feel tired, grouchy, and anxious before the time even arrives. I love the idea of jotting down ways to combat this BEFORE I start feeling that way.